Wagon box



March 5, 1 929. I NELSON 1,704,574

WAGON BOX Filed June 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, '1929.

v Q. E. NELSON WAGON BOX Filed June 50, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnu anion 0-E N3 Z son OSCAR E. nnnson,

or Ann, Kansas.

wneon BOX.

Application filed June so,

This invention has for its object the provision of a wagon box which may be readily converted from a closed box to a rack and in which the sides will be firmly supported in either their lowered or their raised positions. The invention also has for its object the provision of means whereby the end gate may be, supported in a raised or lowered position or, in a partly lowered position, and a further object of the invention is to improve generally the construction of convertible wagon boxes to the end that the cost of maintenance may be reduced and the durability of the device increased. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wagonbox in its closed condition and showing it mounted upon a running gear; 7 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 i

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sides in a different adjustment, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one corner of the box.

The running gear, indicated at 1, may be of any approved form. In carrying out the present invention, I provide longitudinal sills 2 which rest upon the running gear and are connected by cross bars 3 so that the desired rigidity in the structure will be at tained. At intervals upon the sills 2, I secure cross beams 4 and to the ends of these cross beams are connected posts 5 which are adapted to swing into the upright positions shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 or may be lowered to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The cross beams 4 carry the bottom of the box which may be of any approved construction and is illustrated as consisting of planks 0r boards 6 extending longitudinally of the box. The ends of the cross beams 4 are notched or recessed in their upper corners, as indicated at 7 in Fig. 3, and the posts 5 have their inner corners likewise cut-away so that a hinge pin 8 will be accommodated in the cutaway portions or recesses and the posts when in upright position may be partly supported by the ends of the beam. To the sides of each beam adjacent the ends thereof, 1 secure hinge straps 9 and similar straps 10 are secured to the several posts 5, the hinge pins 8 being inserted through the overlapping ends of the 1927. Serial No. 202,688.

said straps so that the posts and the beams are pivotally connected. To the free ends of the posts are secured loops 11 which project beyond the ends of the posts and are adapted to receive stakes when desired so that the device ma 1 be utilized as a ha rack. In a the drawings, 1 have shown the loops or eyes 11 secured to the front and rear posts only, but it will be understood that they may be applied to all the posts if desired without involving anydeparture from the invention. Side boards 12are secured to the posts so that when the posts are in their raised positions these boards will close the sidesof the wagon box and prevent lateral loss of the commodities placed in the box, while when the posts are lowered the side boards will serve as lateral continuations or extensions of" a transverse"dimension greater, than the" transverse dimension of the box. The loops 11 are'preferably formed of metallic straps and the loops secured to the end posts have their outermost extremities turned laterally to provide lugs 13 having openings therethrough and adapted to be engaged by hooks 14 pivoted upon the uprights 15 which are rigidly secured to the ends of the end cross bars 4 and to the sills 2. The hooks 14 and the lugs 13 engaged by them serve as effectual fasteners to maintain the sides of the box in upright position and prevent spilling of the contents of the box. The sides may be further secured in their upright positions by rods 16 which at one end are hung in eyes 17 provided upon one side member and at their opposite ends are formed into hooks 18 adaptedto engage eyes 19 provided upon the opposite side member, this arrangement being clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is, of course, possible to have one side member retained in its upright position while the other side member is lowered, this arrangement being frequently desirable, as when loading the box from one side, and in such event the free hooked ends of the rods 16 will rest upon-the floor of the box and the hooks 14 and eyes 13 will serve to hold the raised side. I also providechains 21 which have their upper ends hung in eyes or hooks 22 provided upon the inner sides of the uprights 15 adjacent the top thereof and their lower ends equipped with hooks adapted to engage the eyes 19 upon the adjacent side board so that the chains 21 may be utilized to support said lowered side member.

3. To prevent spreading of the uprights 15, a stay rod 20, similar to the rod 16, is pro vided as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. When the end gate is fully lowered for loading live stock, the rod 20 is unhooked so as to drop out of the way of the animals. Secured; to and extending between the uprights, at the lower ends thereof, is a base board 26 and the lower edge of the end gate is connected to the said base board by hinges 27, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The end gate may be of any approved construction and is provided adjacent its upper end with a cross bar'28 which imparts the desired rigidity thereto and pro .jects beyond the side edges oi the gate so as to abut the outer sides of the uprights 15 and thereby hold the end gates against movement inwardly within the b x, the engagement of the cross bar 28 with the uprights being clear- 1 shown in F1924. Ad acent the end of the cross bar 28 there is provided an opening therein through which projects an end of a bracket 31 in which may be engaged the hook 32 at one end of a retaining rod 29 havingan eye 30 at its free end. l Vhen the end gate is in its upright position, this retaining rod 29 may hang free, as shown in Fig. 4., the engagement of the hook 32 in the bracket 31 tending to maintain the end gate in its raised closed position. WVhen the end gate is partly lowered, the end of the rod 29. may be passed through the opening in the bar 28 so that the eye 30 will extend across the opening and the end gate be thereby supported. It the end gate be fully lowered, the rod 29 may be removed or permitted to swing free.

When the side members, to which the rods 16 are attached, are lowered, the hook ends of said rods may be engaged in eyes 33 on the inner sides of the uprights 15 to sustain the side members.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive wagon boxwhichmay be easily converted from a closed box to an open box and may thus be readily arranged to accommodate loads of various characters, forms and dimensions so that it will be very eflicient in facilitating operations of a: miscellaneous nature. 7

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

In a convertible wagon box, the combination of longitudinal sills, cross bars secured on the sills and having their ends'reduced' at their upper corners, posts having cut-away- OSCAR E. NELSON. at 

